View Full Version : How do you feel about behavior at conventions?
Milkymagic
10-01-2006, 07:08 AM
I decided to make a thread on this just in case somebody had an experience that made them feel alienated (example: I like 80's anime, and I only spoke with the artists and dealers mainly outside a few nice folks, pretty much relishing in the dealers and decent panels), gave them some kind of epiphany, or even a blast.
If there's conventions you wish to mention that were a blast, I'm sure they're there, aside from a few that just didn't work (too many Kingdom Hearts, Final Fantasy, Naruto, Full Metal Alchemist fanboys). Cons do have a good share of people who don't like to open up, or even people who just don't feel they really belong there (I've met a few confused people who felt insecure), and the people who seem to be there every year relishing in their limelight.
Can anime be too introverted of a hobby for some to allow a few people to not enjoy conventions? Is there a generation gap (vintage-wise works too) that affects a convention, or is it just a big anime Woodstock for the most part? I'm curious, tell me something!
Grasshopper
10-01-2006, 08:54 AM
The attendees at Otakon open up a bit too much. A lot of people are way too out of control and it detracts from other people's enjoyment of the convention. You know there's a problem when you see 20 year old guys(wearing naruto headbands)running around screaming their heads off.
Milkymagic
10-01-2006, 09:22 AM
Hilariously enough, I saw something similar of that nature between some Naruto fanatics, guess it comes with the territory...
I've never been to Otakon, and Animefest wasn't quite as rowdy, though there was a share of Kingdom Hearts people dancing in front of large groups.
Grasshopper
10-01-2006, 09:40 AM
There were a bunch of Kingdom Hearts fans at Otakon too. They all had those keyblade thingies.
I prefer smaller conventions because they're usually less rowdy and I find it easier to meet new people. Otakon is definitely fun though. I just wish some of the crazier people would chill out.
Mamimi
10-01-2006, 09:44 AM
I've found that people CAN be a bit too excited at cons, but for the most part, people have been just plain friendly. At Anime Boston this year, since there were technical difficulties (or something, i don't remember) at an event, one of the mascots was up on stage doing a little dance. Then, suddenly, around 20 people ran up on stage and began to dance wildly. It was very silly, and security was SO unsure of what to do. I do NOT like when anime fans get out of control like that. However, I like how people have been just giving out hugs for the smallest things. I wouldn't be able to count how many hugs I gave and received at anime boston this year.
Milkymagic
10-01-2006, 10:14 AM
Hugs? That's something.
I was at a smaller con, so it wasn't completely out of control thankfully, and I only saw a few hugs myself in my stay. I do understand how difficult it can be for security, and they do the best job they can to keep things under control. I even talked with a few members of security, pretty down to Earth and definitely concerned individuals, complete with some fun stories.
Grasshopper
10-01-2006, 10:52 AM
The behavior of insane fangirls also gets on my nerves at conventions. I don't have a problem with your everyday fangirl who just really likes a show and gets excited about it from time to time. Those girls are cool and fun to hang out with. It's especially fun when they dress up in skimpy outfits and run around half naked. Unless they're overweight....then I cry. Then there's the insane fangirl who screams and never shuts up. What if you don't want to be glomped? Too bad, you're gonna get it. Other than crazy fangirls and incredibly rowdy people, conventions are teh fun!
ash_chan
10-01-2006, 10:57 AM
Hmm. Things get scary if you enter the hall of the convention center after about...9pm or so at FanimeCon. People get very rowdy then. In '04, a lot of them would break out their katanas at night and have rather dangerous fights. In the middle of the street.
During the day, it can get rowdy too, but it's all in good fun. In '04, a very rowdy crowd asked me if I wanted a glomp. As this was my first con, I was all over it. Little did I realize, by glomp, they meant running at full speed from half way across the room to tackle me to the ground. Not a smart move for someone who literally just got out of a backbrace [I was allowed to finally take it off on the first of of the con after suffering with it for a year].
Sometimes it gets annoying. Sometimes downright scary. But, it's worth it. :]
Milkymagic
10-01-2006, 12:42 PM
Wow Ash, that totally sounds painful, but at least it's in the past! Just prepare for the next time it happens.
I'll agree with Grasshopper once again, there are some fans (for me on both ends) that just don't stop screaming like they're at some N'Sync concert, makes my ears bleed. I want to hear what's in front of me, damn you! And yes, some of those fangirls dress real skimpy, like I wonder if they'll get escorted out with all the cleavage...especially if they're fat. lol!
But seriously, I do agree it's all in good fun, even if the term "fun" is applied quite loosely (in the case of those katana battles!). I have yet to get glomped by the way, though I've had a hug to my record.
NausicaaBoy
10-01-2006, 07:20 PM
i dont even have a problem with the 20 year olds strutting naruto head bands...jsut the yelling and screaming... I prefer quiet excitement. I found at anime eXpo things were generally good..jsut some people who shouldnt have been there... oh and Some guys showed up calling every1 fags for watching anime...that was stupd aggrivating and funny at the same time
Ojisan
10-01-2006, 07:54 PM
I'd probably shoot myself if I ever had to go to a con.
Dennis
10-02-2006, 04:43 AM
I felt that the environment of Otakon 2005 was well behaved, albeit noisy, with rare instances of excessive fandom and overage screaming. Granted there were some over-enthusiastic cosplayers and congoers which is to be expected but nothing to prevent me from going again.
On a side note, am I the only who thought the OtaRave in 2005 was the best part of the convention?
Grasshopper
10-02-2006, 05:17 AM
Otakon 2006 was a completely different story for me. It was really fun and all but there were a lot of rude and inconsiderate people. These kinds of things wont stop me from going because it's just too fun a con to pass up. Hopefully it'll be better next year.
I've never been involved in any of the raves at Otakon as of yet. I took a peek at it last year and it didn't look like much fun. Everyone was wayyyy too close together. Either that or everyone wanted to have some sort of weird erotic grinding fest.
Milkymagic
10-02-2006, 05:27 AM
Ojisan, I'll make sure you never go to a convention, can't have you dying on us. lol!
Nausicaaboy, it sounds like you've met your fair share of "normal folks" who just love to view anime as gay/homosexual/complete faggotry. Also, I did meet this normal dude at my con who was asking me if I was there to see "Yoshi" or something, I said "Anime" and he kept saying he heard "Yoshi." Hmm...
Like I said about dances/raves, they just look ridiculous (in my opinion, granted), but I would love to dress as Pikachu and have some chicks dressed as either Morrigan or Lilith do some bump n' grind with me. Only way I'm going to participate, lol!
I've met a couple of jerks (one dude dissed my Evangelion T-shirt, and I just promptly ignored him), but it's nothing that would stop me from at least giving conventions another try, y'know?
ash_chan
10-03-2006, 05:26 PM
I've actually never ran into those types of troubles at a con. But maybe it's just because the area we're in, people are more accpeting of differences? I mean, sure, there are always those people who don't know what's up, and they'll ask someone in cosplay what was going on. Of course, being the nice people we are, will respond merrily with a "Oh. This is FanimeCon. An anime convention." They'll smile, thank us and we'll both be on our merry way. The worst we've ever gotten is some rude stares from people on the street who deliberately try to avoid us -- and that's their right. We don't care, because we're having fun. Isn't that the point of a con?
As for the raves, they're fun, but I can only spend so much time in there without going stir crazy. But then, that's probably because all I can do is sit down, since I have no one to dance with. ;P
Javer
10-03-2006, 05:38 PM
Wow Ash, that totally sounds painful, but at least it's in the past!
No, it's not.
People get very rowdy then. In '04, a lot of them would break out their katanas at night and have rather dangerous fights. In the middle of the street.
No, they don't.
(I was there.)
ash_chan
10-03-2006, 05:44 PM
No, they don't.
(I was there.)
Right after Der Cosplay, on our way back to the hotel, Briana and I witnessed 5 or 6 idiots starting to fight with their katanas in the middle of crossing the street.
Now I know that that hardly seems like a lot, but when you consider they were all grown men who should know better than to do something so stupid...
Grasshopper
10-03-2006, 06:18 PM
Glomping can be painful sometimes, especially if it's more of a head-on collision rather than a hug.
I think it's important to remember that people are there to have fun. Someone may enjoy something that isn't your personal cup of tea, but it's not necessarily bad, since all sorts of people have different tastes and interests.
Though, I must admit, that it sucks going to a convention where most of the people have different interests than your own.
I may say some more on the subject later, but I said quite a bit about teh subject in another thread, so I feel bad.
Milkymagic
10-08-2006, 02:12 PM
Yeah, I'm refraining from repeating myself too, since I also felt a little alienated at my con too. But that's what a message board gives, a place for new and old fans to converse with each other.
And fun definitely has its limits, though con-goers mean well. Definitely true.
For the record: glomps don't look painful, but I was just commenting on recieving a glomp after previously wearing a backbrace for Ash-chan. Other than that, it's all good.
ash_chan
10-08-2006, 02:57 PM
For the record: glomps don't look painful, but I was just commenting on recieving a glomp after previously wearing a backbrace for Ash-chan.
^^;
He meant it's not in the past for me, because I recently aggrevated the injury. I've been in bed all week because of it. It'll never truly be in the past for me, because I'll always have back problems because of it.
Milkymagic
10-08-2006, 03:30 PM
Ouch, my bad!
Sorry to hear that, it's a shame I'm not a White Mage with level 3 healing...(hope that helped)
ash_chan
10-08-2006, 03:38 PM
Ouch, my bad!
Not your fault. You wouldn'tve known, since I didn't alert everyone on AA that I hurt myself. He just happened to know because I talk to him a lot. :]
Sorry to hear that, it's a shame I'm not a White Mage with level 3 healing...(hope that helped)
;P Oh well. The local White Mage at my hospital helped out. <3
Milkymagic
10-08-2006, 03:47 PM
Well it's good to know it isn't too serious, though it doesn't sound fun in the slightest, and it's good to see the White Mages in your area give out an effort. The Mages here are still at Level 1 if you know what I mean...
Well, considering that I've only been to one con, and that I went there on the last day, AND that it only had 15 minutes left, I'd have to say It was fairly well behaved. Almost all the people I talked to were welcoming and friendly, so I had a pretty good 15 minutes! lol
Sae-chan
NausicaaBoy
10-08-2006, 08:11 PM
meh well otaraves sound lame - i prefer normal raves! haha mmm welll behavior what can you say - just enjoy cons in your own way
we should organize and AA trip to a big con sometime haha atleast to hangout for a day strutting AA swag lol
Milkymagic
10-09-2006, 05:07 AM
15 minutes? Well...hope those 15 were fun for you.
An AA trip? Who knows, I might be up for something like that. But then again, I'm not "Mr. Guaranteed" or anything.
The closest thing to an AA meetup at a con would be Otakon, since many of the staff and reviewers try to make it there. And in terms of "AA swag" both Kain and Alex were wearing AA t-shirts, nad Roark and I each got a t-shirt too ^_^
However, it's unrealistic to expect a true, planned AA meetup. We have members from all over the world, and no matter where we placed it, about 99% of AAers would have to travel to get there. However, because our numbers are so large and varied, we do have quite a few that some AA people go to, just keep an eye on the con threads here in this forum.
But, yeah, as far as highest concentration of AAers goes, probably Otakon, with Anime Expo as a second.
WookieInMaShoo
10-11-2006, 10:49 AM
I have only been to 2 small miniCons.Actually it was the same one,just a different year. The first time I went I was a bit scared and only stayed for a few hours.The next year I had learned to mingle and I had a lot more fun. Me and a friend brought stuff to sell(she sold more than me. I wasn't drawing any anime at the time). some guy walked by our booth, glanced at my friend's drawings and said something about how he could replicate any of very easily.My first rude convention person.The cosplayers were nice though.It's fun to see guys dressed up as girl characters.
Milkymagic
10-13-2006, 05:39 AM
Yeah, I only had the privilege to meet one jerk (the mentioned Eva hater), with most others just leaving me alienated. Still, loved the artists and dealers, along with the cosplay (did I mention I saw somebody cosplay as Lil' Slugger from Paranoia Agent?). Did meet a couple of dudes dressed as chicks, it was funny.
And on the last day, I also noticed some fans selling some artwork, and I actually picked some up out of enthusiasm. That made a fitting end for me personally, being the shiny looks of confident youngsters wishing to be artists someday was an easy tearjerker for me. Feel free too call me a wuss.
Wuss. :p
I actually have seen some good fanart, but I always have a tough time wading through the furries, yaoi, and furry yaoi of any artist alley. I managed to bulk up and do it at Otakon last year, mostly because I was on a mission to get my Chugworth book.
Milkymagic
10-13-2006, 06:34 AM
Yeah, I've met the Furries myself, but I saved my cash for the goods I bought in the other thread I made. Still, me and that artist talked anime for a bit anyway, so it was all good. Didn't catch any Yaoi stuff however.
ash_chan
10-13-2006, 10:23 PM
And on the last day, I also noticed some fans selling some artwork, and I actually picked some up out of enthusiasm. That made a fitting end for me personally, being the shiny looks of confident youngsters wishing to be artists someday was an easy tearjerker for me. Feel free too call me a wuss.
WUSS.
...Nah. ;P
I usually get my artwork on the last day. By then the Artist Alley is slower, allowing for more one on one conversations with the artists themselves. I ended up talking to one artist for a good hour and a half about shows, characters, and art techniques. After, I went to the dealer's room and bought her a present because I had recalled her mentioning in the conversation that she adored Hello Kitty and in front of me there was a $5 Hello Kitty poster. I gave it to her and we had another 45 minute conversation about cute animals.
Milkymagic
10-14-2006, 05:48 AM
I am a proud wuss, love me.
That's really cool to hear such a story, definitely shows how well people can connect at conventions, and it's an animal loving one at that.
WookieInMaShoo
10-16-2006, 09:57 AM
Yeah, I only had the privilege to meet one jerk (the mentioned Eva hater), with most others just leaving me alienated. Still, loved the artists and dealers, along with the cosplay (did I mention I saw somebody cosplay as Lil' Slugger from Paranoia Agent?). Did meet a couple of dudes dressed as chicks, it was funny.
And on the last day, I also noticed some fans selling some artwork, and I actually picked some up out of enthusiasm. That made a fitting end for me personally, being the shiny looks of confident youngsters wishing to be artists someday was an easy tearjerker for me. Feel free too call me a wuss.
A Lil' Slugger cosplayer-- I would have to get a picture of that.
I actually picked up a very nice fanart of FLCL; it's my friend's favorite show but I bought it for myself. The girl who drew the picture also had some Hikaru No Go and Naruto fan art(The picture of Gaara was quite creepy to me because it was drawn to look more realistic, not stylized).Larry Dixon, a local artist, also had his fantasy prints for sale. I don't know if anyone would know him here but he did work on some things in the LOTR movies.
I wish I had taken more pictures though. I did get one of one guy with another guy on a leash. It wasn't untill I got the picture developed that I noticed the sign on the leashed guy's leg:"yaoi for 25 cents".
Upon leaving the building, away from all the excitement, my energy drained away and I was became tired...I will remeber to bring a packed lunch next time.
*Hoping to someday go to a big convention with thousands of people*
Milkymagic
10-17-2006, 05:18 AM
A Lil' Slugger cosplayer-- I would have to get a picture of that.
I actually picked up a very nice fanart of FLCL; it's my friend's favorite show but I bought it for myself. The girl who drew the picture also had some Hikaru No Go and Naruto fan art(The picture of Gaara was quite creepy to me because it was drawn to look more realistic, not stylized).Larry Dixon, a local artist, also had his fantasy prints for sale. I don't know if anyone would know him here but he did work on some things in the LOTR movies.
I wish I had taken more pictures though. I did get one of one guy with another guy on a leash. It wasn't untill I got the picture developed that I noticed the sign on the leashed guy's leg:"yaoi for 25 cents".
Upon leaving the building, away from all the excitement, my energy drained away and I was became tired...I will remeber to bring a packed lunch next time.
*Hoping to someday go to a big convention with thousands of people*
Man, that's some interesting artwork, I'd probably be laughing at it for minutes on end with the strange leash one. FLCL is cool, but to imagine Gaara in a different style would be interesting, but that's what makes fan art so great. Sadly, I'm not familiar with Larry Dixon's work at the moment.
I'm hoping to go to a big anime convention someday myself, but I've got some loose ends keeping me busy.
Baka Neko
10-18-2006, 04:46 PM
Cons can be REALLY scary sometimes, but I've yet to go to one and not have an awesome time. Well, take that back, IkasuCon of 2005 was just REALLY BORING. XD But that's the only thing. What I don't like about cons is the way some people act. It's generally the group of people that are HARDCORE into an anime, and their IQ levels drop a few points too many when they're with the rest of their horde of fans. @_@; Slightly (or VERY) creepy people run around screaming dumb quotes from a badly dubbed anime (and taking it seriously) and just acting like idiots in general...They're always there, and they're annoying, but they aren't a big deal because I don't hang around them. XD That's really all I have to complain about as far as con attendees go. The only other complaint is when I go to bed somewhat early (early being like 12 or 1) so that I can be awake for events the next day, and people are running through the halls, SCREAMING and laughing and just being oboxious.
Buuuuuuuut yeah, that's really it. o.o/ I've met a lot of awesome people at cons, and we all get together and do a bunch of fun things, and it's really just a weekend to go crazy (with moderation XD) and have a blast. I can put up with the more annoying groups of people and the con funk enough to keep going to these things. <3
Milkymagic
10-20-2006, 11:58 AM
I met a person with ADD at my con, he wouldn't stop talking no matter how many times I needed to tell him I was with my friends. Plus, he started talking about how difficult it was for him to get a room in the hotel, and by then I was on auto-pilot...
I've seen a few people who did scream some dubbed lines from anime, but mostly cool ones from Golden Boy (I do it myself!), though I've heard some blatant Naruto and DBZ here and there.
And I kept hearing "Love and Peace" from Trigun, or whatever the quote was supposed to be (haven't seen it). But other than that, just some loud folks running with their friends screaming, which didn't bother me in the slightest.
Still, I had my kicks.
Tyrdium
10-20-2006, 10:26 PM
Hmm. That sounds more like Aspberger's than ADD, Milkymagic.
Milkymagic
10-21-2006, 09:44 AM
Hmm. That sounds more like Aspberger's than ADD, Milkymagic.
You could be correct, I wouldn't rule that one out either.
WookieInMaShoo
10-25-2006, 09:21 AM
Cons can be REALLY scary sometimes, but I've yet to go to one and not have an awesome time. Well, take that back, IkasuCon of 2005 was just REALLY BORING. XD But that's the only thing. What I don't like about cons is the way some people act. It's generally the group of people that are HARDCORE into an anime, and their IQ levels drop a few points too many when they're with the rest of their horde of fans. @_@; Slightly (or VERY) creepy people run around screaming dumb quotes from a badly dubbed anime (and taking it seriously) and just acting like idiots in general...They're always there, and they're annoying, but they aren't a big deal because I don't hang around them. XD That's really all I have to complain about as far as con attendees go. The only other complaint is when I go to bed somewhat early (early being like 12 or 1) so that I can be awake for events the next day, and people are running through the halls, SCREAMING and laughing and just being oboxious.
Buuuuuuuut yeah, that's really it. o.o/ I've met a lot of awesome people at cons, and we all get together and do a bunch of fun things, and it's really just a weekend to go crazy (with moderation XD) and have a blast. I can put up with the more annoying groups of people and the con funk enough to keep going to these things. <3
I haven't yet had the honor of going to a large anime convention, so there were no hotels involved and not much screaming. There was an overly happy Vash cosplayer who was slinging a cat plushie around on a leash. He must have passed my booth quite a few times and he seemed to be doing laps around the artist's tables. I eventually stopped him for a picture. He was really the only one making much of any irregular noise at the convention(besides the rabid pocky goers), but it didn't bother me a bit. He later had a "trash talk war" with a DBZ cosplayer on stage.
Overall, I liked my second convention better. My first one was a bit scary for me; so many bunny ears.
Man, that's some interesting artwork, I'd probably be laughing at it for minutes on end with the strange leash one. FLCL is cool, but to imagine Gaara in a different style would be interesting, but that's what makes fan art so great. Sadly, I'm not familiar with Larry Dixon's work at the moment.
I'm hoping to go to a big anime convention someday myself, but I've got some loose ends keeping me busy.
I hope there wasn't something lost in translation there. I should have said "photograph". The leash picture was a photograph of two guys.I'm not sure if they were cosplaying but if they were I kinda want to know what manga/anime characters they were cosplaying as...
Do you think it would ok to make a link to my convention pictures?I don't know how to make a link yet, but I would love to share them with everyone.
Milkymagic
10-25-2006, 10:54 AM
Yeah, I probably read your post too fast (I tend to do that), but I still would like to know what the heck was going on with that. Strange.
As far as pics go, try the checking rules or ask a mod.
I slaped a kid in the face for saying the kid from FMA could kick ichigos ass.
Do you think it would ok to make a link to my convention pictures?I don't know how to make a link yet, but I would love to share them with everyone.
Sure, feel free to link to photos if you want. Just make they're all SFW, and fun stuff like that.
Milkymagic
11-07-2006, 09:36 AM
We should have a thread for Con pictures! Y'know?
Normally people will post pictures from a particular con in that Con's thread. I think we also had a thread of Cosplay pics at some point.
Milkymagic
11-07-2006, 09:46 AM
Normally people will post pictures from a particular con in that Con's thread. I think we also had a thread of Cosplay pics at some point.
Gotcha, never hurts to brainstorm at the least! ^_^
Baka Neko
11-09-2006, 12:21 PM
I haven't yet had the honor of going to a large anime convention, so there were no hotels involved and not much screaming. There was an overly happy Vash cosplayer who was slinging a cat plushie around on a leash. He must have passed my booth quite a few times and he seemed to be doing laps around the artist's tables. I eventually stopped him for a picture. He was really the only one making much of any irregular noise at the convention(besides the rabid pocky goers), but it didn't bother me a bit. He later had a "trash talk war" with a DBZ cosplayer on stage.
Overall, I liked my second convention better. My first one was a bit scary for me; so many bunny ears.
Ahh, well actually, the con that came to mind as I typed about the noise-level was a fairly small con. (The Reactor) It surprised me that such a small con would be so wild, but the staff (hotel and con) did absolutely nothing to tame anyone, and the whole weekend was pretty crazy. You would think it was a larger con, and yeah those are loud too, although I suppose I just head to bed at the right hours at those cons, because I've yet to be bothered. *knocks on wood* @_@;
ShinoMatrix
11-19-2006, 02:00 AM
Ah conventions... Been going to cons for quite some time now and made plenty of friends this way. I'm a generally timid guy, but weirdly enough, the bunch I probably ended up making friends with are the more con savvy and loud people out there. It's fun when people stare, but conventions generally garner you the "appreciating" kind of stare when you're in character, rather than when just being obnoxious in general public.
It's fun being in the convention committee actually because being an organiser and being in control gives you powers over the ones that go a bit too far. Me abuse powers? Pish-posh, perish the thought :XD:
That is something I never really thought about. Now I am really looking forward to this.
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